Eric Schmidt: No Nexus Two or Google-brand Chrome OS netbook

Google has no plans for a second-generation Nexus Two smartphone, according to CEO Eric Schmidt, since the Nexus One met its desired goal of spurring on the Android hardware market. In an interview with The Telegraph, Schmidt confirmed that “the idea a year and a half ago was to do the Nexus One to try to move the phone platform hardware business forward. It clearly did. It was so successful, we didn’t have to do a second one. We would view that as positive but people criticised us heavily for that.” However, Schmidt said he doubts Google will have to follow a similar route with upcoming Google Chrome OS netbooks.

That, the executive reckons, is because the PC industry is more used to working with a strong software provider – Microsoft – whereas the cellphone industry has had less experience of that. He confirmed that Google has, though, considered partnering with a hardware supplier for a branded netbook of their own, but says “my guess is we won’t need to.”